2025-04-10 - Channel 5 Belize

Building a Legacy of Kindness with Juan Chuc Hardware

Almost fifty years ago, Juan Chuc started his own hardware store in San Ignacio Town, calling it Juan Chuc & Sons Hardware. It didn’t take long for the store to become one of the biggest locally owned businesses around, cementing Juan Chuc’s legacy in the Cayo District. In today’s episode of Belize on Reel, we had a chat with Chuc to hear the story of how his business took off and what he thinks about the legacy he’s leaving behind.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

It’s 1977, and Juan Chuc has just opened the doors to his very first business, the aptly named Juan Chuc store. What started as a small grocery quickly took off when Chuc decided to branch out into hardware. Before diving into the world of business, Chuc spent over sixteen years working with heavy-duty construction equipment. It was this expertise that helped him transform his store into the well-known Juan Chuc Hardware.

Juan Chuc, Founder, Juan Chuc & Sons Hardware

“Lot of people help me though because I remember when I was selling cement, I couldn’t buy no steel. So an American Jamaican come and live in Santa Elena. He told me I need some steel, man. I tell him I no sell, I only sell cement. He say, how can you buy steel? Why you don’t buy? I tell ah I don’t have no money. He said, how much money you need? I tell him about more or less about ten thousand. He say, I will give you the ten thousand. You buy your steel, you gimme my steel, and then you pay me afterwards. I tell him, really? You will do that? He say, yes. I tell him thank you, and man, gimme the money. So I add one truckload of steel.”

Juan Chuc Hardware quickly became a vital part of the community, helping small businesses with financial opportunities. Eighteen years ago, Chuc’s son commissioned wreath maker Maritza Manzanero, and when Juan saw her beautiful creations, he knew he had to share them with a wider audience.

Maritza Manzanero, Colleague & Friend

“We started chatting and we became good friends and he asked me where I had gotten the wreath from. So I explained to him that I was working with flowers and I started making them. So he said if I would be interested, we could try and place them in his store and sell them. So I spoke with my daddy for the money and my daddy said, well, what you can do is make it for a price, so that he can earn something like a profit. So, I chatted with him and he said, he was so happy with it. So I brought about eighteen wreaths and about two weeks time, I received a phone call that no wreaths were left in the store.”

Things took an unfortunate turn when Chuc contracted COVID and could no longer manage his store. He handed the business over to his sons, but they struggled to keep it afloat, leading to its closure. Undeterred, Chuc kept his entrepreneurial spirit alive by opening a smaller shop, lovingly named Sandy’s Shop after his wife. Through it all, Chuc says his loyal customers have always stood by him.

Juan Chuc

“They always buy with me and they always tell me to keep going. Because they know that I come from working hard in the field, and they know I never have no money and they know how they admire how I’m working and I work good with the people, they help me and I help them. I treat them good. Sometimes when they come, then they buy, and you know the sun hot deh, I bring wa drink. I tell them, unu have this man, take care. Refresh yourself. And when them feel good.”

Chuc’s store has always been a beacon of opportunity for the community, offering hardware supplies at fair prices. Even today, Chuc is one of the few in the area who sells cement by the pound, making it easier for folks to gradually invest in their home projects. The mayor of San Ignacio, Earl Trapp, often highlights the significant impact Chuc has had on the community.

Earl Trapp, Mayor, San Ignacio

“He sells sand by bucket, and, a pvc pipe, the length, he sells it by feet as well. So he makes things affordable for people that only needs three feet of pipe, you don’t wanna buy one length of pipe and then just waste the rest. So when he would make sure that he provides for the needy people. So I think certainly it’s impacted Saint Ignacio Santa Elena and the surrounding villages because, on weekends and even during the week, but especially on weekends, you would see buses park in front of his place and the customers getting their goods by sack and take it into the bus and they would go to the villages. He served the community well.”

While the Juan Chuc store is no longer as big as it once was, the namesake is still well loved.

Maritza Manzanero

“His heart is of gold. Many people have chanced him, I know. And he doesn’t even talk about it. Like he used to have this shop with whatever you needed, like zincs, the roofing things and whatever you need, tiles you would go and he would even give you credit and people like wouldn’t even pay him. And do you think he would be looking for them? He said everything is in God’s hands.”

Chuc says his business is on the rise again, taking him back to the early days of his journey nearly forty-eight years ago. Despite the ups and downs, he’s content with what he’s achieved in his career, even if it’s not quite how everyone remembers it.

Juan Chuc

“It is kinda lee hard, but then like how I was sick to me it is very good for keep moving. I can’t walk, so I keep moving and talk to people, to friends and I feel good with that, because it let’s me to know what is going on out there, because I can’t go there. So I feel very good and my business is growing lee bit by lee bit and. And I don’t want to grow big again, but I just want to survive and have something in my table for eat, so I feel very good.”

Britney Gordon For News Five

B.E.L. Seeks Rate Increase; PUC Reviewing Application

Your electricity bill might go up as early as July if the Public Utilities Commission approves Belize Electricity Limited‘s request for a rate hike. B.E.L. submitted their proposal on April fourth, covering the period from January 1st, 2026, to June 30th, 2028. The P.U.C. will spend thirty days reviewing the ninety-one-page document before announcing their initial decision. After that, B.E.L. customers will have ten days to share their opinions. News Five’s Marion Ali has the scoop on what B.E.L. is asking for.

Marion Ali, Reporting

Belize Electricity Limited is asking for a rate increase from forty cents to at least forty-three cents per kilowatt-hour. This three-cent hike would start on January first, 2026, and last until June thirtieth, 2028, when the next tariff review is due. B.E.L. argues that the proposed rate hike is essential to offset the rising costs of energy imports and the inflationary pressures on their operating and maintenance expenses. Additionally, the utility company highlights the need for investments to upgrade and modernize the grid, connect new renewable energy sources, and install other supportive equipment. B.E.L. believes that this increase will provide stability over the requested period.

B.E.L. is aiming for a revenue requirement of three hundred million dollars for 2024-2025, which is actually forty-three million less than the previous period. They predict that the cost of power will go up by an average of three-point-three-five percent each year due to increasing generation needs, which are expected to rise by over five percent annually. As a result, the cost of power is projected to exceed two hundred and twenty-two million dollars this year and climb to over two hundred and fifty-one million by 2029.

In its submission, B.E.L. mentioned that from 2020 to 2024, it invested an average of thirty-three million dollars each year to expand its distribution system. This allowed them to connect two thousand new customers annually and improve grid accessibility across the country. By 2024, B.E.L. had over one hundred and thirteen thousand customers, marking a twenty-five percent increase since 2016. Consequently, electricity sales surged by thirty-point-four percent during that period.

On top of these increases, B.E.L.’s operational expenses are expected to rise by nearly five percent each year over the planned period. They report that forty-six percent of this year’s budget is dedicated to payroll alone. Their operating costs have consistently exceeded regulatory limits over the past period, reflecting the growing financial demands of maintaining a modern grid. From 2020 to 2024, B.E.L.’s actual operational expenses surpassed the P.U.C.-approved thresholds by two to four million dollars annually.

B.E.L. reports that since 2020, its net fixed assets have grown by twenty-eight percent, thanks to ongoing investments in infrastructure, system upgrades, and service improvements. Looking ahead, the company expects this figure to jump by another fifty percent by the end of 2028. This snapshot is just a glimpse of what the P.U.C. will be reviewing in the coming weeks before making its initial decision on B.E.L.’s application. After that, B.E.L. customers will have ten days to share their opinions. News Five will keep you updated when the decision is made. Marion Ali for News Five.

New DNA Legislation to Plug Loopholes in Justice System

A new proposed DNA law aims to make cases involving scientific evidence clearer by setting rules for collecting, filing, and using DNA evidence to prosecute suspects. Today, a draft of this legislation was shown to key groups. This draft would let the court decide when a suspect must provide DNA samples for testing in criminal cases. The United Nations Development Program, which held consultations earlier this year, created the draft bill and hosted today’s meeting with forensic experts, prosecutors, police, and the Ministry of Health. News Five’s Marion Ali has the story.

Marion Ali, Reporting

Today, key groups from the justice system met to review a proposed draft law focused on DNA evidence. According to UNDP Representative Amilin Mendez, the goal of the bill is to improve how DNA evidence is collected, filed, and used.

Amilin Mendez, Representative, U.N.D.P.

“With D.N.A legislation in place, it embodies the National Forensic Science Services to be able to create a D.N.A database. What does that mean then for you? If you have a matter on hand, if you’re the victim, you’ll be able to get justice in a more timely manner. If you’re a suspected person of a crime and your D.N.A does not match, you would not have to be on remand because it’s clear that you’re not guilty of any of these crimes.”

The UNDP has been a long-time partner of the National Forensic Science Services. In 2024, the U.N. agency helped upgrade the lab’s information management system, making the evidence process digital. Executive Director Gian Cho explained how the system will work according to international standards once the law is passed by the end of this year.

Gian Cho, Executive Director, Belize National Forensic Science Service

“When you collect people’s genetic data, when you store it, when you search it, we need to make sure that we have regulations or laws in place that governs how that’s used. So how a national D.N.A. database is established, how D.N.A. samples are collected from individuals suspected of committing offenses in a manner that respects their bodily integrity, their privacy, their dignity, how searches of that database is conducted, who has access to the database, what we do with any matches that come from the database, who are authorized to enter profiles into a database, how profiles are generated – all of these requirements to ensure that the safeguard of human genetic data, the standards of searching and how we determine a match are in line with the international requirements and what we know other countries have in their legislation as well as oversight for such a database.”

Cho explained that even though the system will be in place, for investigators to get certain DNA samples from suspects, a judge would have to decide whether the sample will be given by force. Cho emphasized that it’s crucial to ensure people’s constitutional rights are respected throughout the process.

Gian Cho

“The process or the procedure to obtain a D.N.A. sample from an individual, when consent is not given by the individual, what would be the processes that the authorities follow would be to obtain a court order. Once certain thresholds are met, the investigator – a senior rank inspector or above would have to issue or make the request to a magistrate to issue a court order to collect a D.N.A. sample the person does not give consent.”

Ultra-sensitive issues, such as how minors are treated, whether they are the victim or the perpetrator, are also covered in the legislation.

Gian Cho

“When minors are victims or when minors are suspects or when appearance of minors might be involved we have to look at court orders given individual. And the bill speaks all of those different circumstances when a court order would be needed, or what would be considered reasonable cause to obtain a court order, what would be instances where reasonable force can be used to obtain the D.N.A. sample and in most instances, it would be a cheek swab that is obtained.”

It’s still unclear if this new legislation will boost conviction rates. The reform of the justice system through this bill is just one part of a larger project called pH Justice, supported by the UNDP and funded by the European Union, with a budget of over three million dollars. This project also included digitizing the Magistrates’ and High Courts. Once the relevant parties agree on the draft bill’s contents, it will be presented to Cabinet for approval before going to the National Assembly. Marion Ali for News Five.

Children Spread Garifuna Heritage Across the World

This morning, a dozen children from a cultural group in Dangriga departed for Los Angeles to participate in the annual Garifuna Survival Day mass. This event allows Garifuna Communities from different countries to meet with each other and reflect on the shared history of their people. Before their flight, News Five’s Britney Gordon caught up with them at the airport for more details on this significant experience.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

On Sunday, Garifuna communities from all over the region will come together in Los Angeles for the eleventh Annual Garifuna Survival Day Memorial Mass. This event was created to honor, educate, and reflect on the exile of the Garinagu to Central America. A delegation from the Habayan Uwarani cultural group in Dangriga will be showcasing their talents, and thirteen-year-old JayMar Nicascio is thrilled to be a part of it.

JayMar Nicasio, Member, Habayan Uwarani

“We are going we are going to LA to participate in the annual Garifuna Survival Day Mass, and it’s celebrating two hundred and twenty-eight years of resilience and we just want to display the talent of the children of Dangriga.”

Britney Gordon

“So have you guys prepared anything specific to showcase? What exactly is that?”

JayMar Nicasio

“I believe we’ve prepared two or three dances and we have a lot of songs ready to sing and to share.”

Reporter

“And is this your first time going on a trip like this, as a group?”

JayMar Nicasio

“Yes. This is our first time traveling outside of the country with my group.”

The group, whose name means Children of Togetherness, is led by Clarene Castillo Alvarez. She took over after the passing of her mother, Margaret Castillo.

Clarene Castillo Alvarez, Director, Habayan Uwarani

“We have like twenty-five kids in this group, but we only brought twelve children in this trip and they’re very excited to be on this trip.”

Britney Gordon

“So how did this opportunity to participate in this convention in LA come to be where you guys contacted by someone?”

Clarene Castillo Alvarez

“Well, Mrs. Dorina, she’s the one who will contact the people from the Pablo Lembey Foundation and that’s why we’re on this trip today.”

JayMar says the group is alive with excitement as they get ready to celebrate their history and represent Belize. He feels truly honored to have this opportunity.

JayMar Nicasio

“It feels exciting because when I travel, I usually travel solo or with a parent. So it feels exciting traveling with my friends out of the group.”

Britney Gordon

“And to be a part of this group of young people that get to share their culture. How important is that to you to be able to carry on this part of yourself?”

JayMar Nicasio

“It’s very important to me. It is very important to me. It’s like my rock, My culture is my rock and it’s a thing that holds my identity together.”

Britney Gordon For News Five

A $100 Fine for Torturing a Horse?

Commissioner of Police Chester Williams is calling for urgent reform of Belize’s animal cruelty laws following the disturbing case involving the brutal abuse of a horse by a group of young men in Belize City.

ComPol Williams said there is a need for stronger deterrents to the outdated nature of current legislation.

“Unfortunately it is a misdemeanour, so it does not carry a stiff penalty, so these are things we have to look at to see how we can transform the law. The laws we have in place for these kinds of acts are antiquated. They have been in place post-independence. Times have changed, so there is a need to look at those laws to see how we can strengthen them to serve as a deterrent to those who may wish to continue those types of activities,” Williams stated.

The commissioner confirmed the penalty is about $100.

Williams also responded to criticism that police often fail to take reports of animal abuse seriously, especially when it comes to horses.

“The thing is we try to do as best as we can. There are instances where we require the support of the owners, and we don’t get that support. While the penalties for the offence, which is cruelty to animals, may carry a small fine, we are also looking [at] abatement to commit cruelty to animals. The abetment will take the penalty more severely. So we are hoping to go that route to send a stronger signal to those young men and to others who may have in mind to carry out such acts,” he said.

The case has sparked national outrage and renewed conversations about the treatment of animals in Belize. Police have identified multiple suspects and confirmed that they are working closely with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to determine appropriate charges.

From Cyber Beef to Brotherly Bond: COMPOL and “Uncle” Squash Public Feud

The long-standing public feud between Commissioner of Police Chester Williams and his brother Arthur Roy Williams—also known as “Uncle”—came to a peaceful end today at the Belize City Magistrate’s Court.

Both brothers appeared before the court as the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions formally withdrew all charges against Arthur Roy. The decision followed an agreement between the two siblings to put their differences behind them.

“I love my brother,” said Commissioner Williams. According to Williams, his brother has agreed not to publish anything further that could be seen as defamatory toward him. In turn, the commissioner has accepted that commitment, paving the way for the withdrawal of all charges.

Outside the courtroom, the mood between the brothers was cordial and affectionate. Commissioner Williams said the bond between them was stronger than the dispute. “Uncle” echoed the sentiment by honouring his promise not to post or write anything else negative about his brother.

Arthur Roy, 53, was initially arraigned on February 7, 2024, on three criminal charges under the Cybercrime Act. These included two counts of using a computer system to disseminate false statements with intent to subject another person to public ridicule or embarrassment and one count of using a computer system to intimidate a person. He pleaded not guilty to the intimidation charge.

However, on July 3, 2024, he was hit with a fourth charge—contempt of a judicial order—after he allegedly continued to publish posts referencing the Commissioner of Police and the Belize Police Department, in direct violation of an existing court order.

Horse Owner Speaks Out After Beloved Horse Brutally Attacked: “I Feel It in Me”

Devonte Broaster is heartbroken. The young horse owner says he’s still trying to understand why his beloved horse, Oney, was violently attacked and injured by the same group of young men he once considered friends.

Broaster spoke to News 5 following the circulation of a viral video that shows several youths chopping a horse with a machete in Belize City. Police have since confirmed an investigation is underway and that five individuals are currently detained for questioning.

Broaster says he purchased Oney just two months ago from the same group now accused of abusing the horse. At the time, he believed he was rescuing the animal from mistreatment.

“Deh thief my horse so they took it round suh and hide and tell me that they don’t have it. They chop up him,” Broaster said.

“That hurt me, like I feel it in me. I feel it for him. I don’t know what is going on with deh bally,” he said.

The attack has hit Broaster especially hard, as this was his very first horse. “This dah the first horse I ever get, the first horse, I love ah,” he said.

Broaster says he has no known issues with the group. “No, I use to hang with deh bally. I don’t know what is going on with them,” he said. He plans to help Oney recover. “I plan to bring ah back and send him to village for some time and then I will ride him, but I just wah lef ah deh mek ih get back.”

Police Investigate Shocking Horse Mutilation Caught on Video in Belize City

Authorities have launched a criminal investigation into a disturbing case of animal cruelty after a viral video surfaced showing several young men brutally attacking a horse in Belize City.

The video, shared widely on social media on the morning of Thursday prompted officers from Precinct Two’s Crimes Investigation Branch to visit the Dikes area off Fabers Road Extension. There, police found a brown horse with severe chop wounds to its right shoulder and above the right eye.

According to initial investigations, the horse’s owner had left the animal grazing in an abandoned lot on Friday, April 4th. He returned about 20 minutes later to find it missing. Nearly a week later, the viral footage led officers to the Dikes area, where the injured horse was recovered and later identified by its owner.

Photographs were taken of the wounds, GPS coordinates were recorded, and the horse was treated by a veterinarian from BAHA. Police have detained five individuals as persons of interest in connection with the incident.

Commissioner of Police Chester Williams confirmed that the department is actively considering charges. He stated:

“I can tell you we are looking at the possibility of charges for cruelty to animal and we will seek further advice from the DPP to see if there is any further charges that can be levied against those individuals. We need to send a strong signal. We are seeing that this type of occurrence is becoming more prevalent where animals are being treated inhumanely in such a cruel way. My thing is if these young men could have done [this] to the horse, imagine what they could have done to a human being.”

Fatal Motorcycle Accident in Toledo

A motorcyclist was killed this afternoon in a collision with a white pickup truck near Forest Home Village, just outside Punta Gorda Town.

According to reports, the motorcyclist was heading toward Punta Gorda when the white truck struck him. He succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police have not released the victim’s name.

Latin and Caribbean Leaders Strengthen Alliance with China

China is expanding its influence in Latin America as regional frustration with the United States grows. During the ninth Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) summit, held Wednesday in Honduras, leaders openly criticised U.S. trade and immigration policies. Belize has been a member of CELAC since 2011.

A Chinese delegation met with regional officials on the sidelines of the summit, and President Xi Jinping is set to host a China-CELAC ministerial meeting in May. As Washington’s grip on the region loosens, Beijing is positioning itself as a strategic and economic alternative.

At the summit, 11 heads of state condemned U.S. tariffs and crackdowns on immigration. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva warned that “arbitrary tariffs destabilise the international economy,” adding that “autonomy is in jeopardy” amid attempts to “restore former hegemonies.”

The summit ended with the Tegucigalpa Declaration, signed by 30 of the 33 CELAC members. It rejected “unilateral coercive measures” seen as violations of international law. Argentina, Paraguay, and Nicaragua declined to endorse the statement but gave no public explanation.

President Donald Trump’s selective tariff suspension failed to calm regional frustrations, and it now threatens to alter the geopolitical alliances in the Americas.